Breakwater review – troubled souls cross class and age barriers in nicely judged debut feature

An Oxford theology student and a middle-aged fisher are drawn together despite their many differences in an ambitious first film from Max Morgan This evocative debut feature from Max Morgan is a film of many contrasts. One is the May-December attraction between Otto (Daniel McNamee), a theology student and aspiring violinist, and John (Shaun Paul McGrath), a middle-aged fisher with a shadowy past. The worlds that they inhabit seem poles apart. Compared with the storm-ravaged Suffolk coast that curves around John’s rugged village, the imposing halls of Otto’s college at Oxford are at once grand and isolating. Despite their differences in age, the two men are bound by shared trauma and turmoil: both struggle with their sexuality and the loss of a loved one. The highly textured cinematography renders these inner conflicts strikingly tactile. The camera at times stays uncomfortably close to the main characters, highlighting the gnawing anxiety of not belonging. From the demands of a frustr...

Sublime review – refreshingly understated queer coming-of-age tale

Avoiding schmaltzy pitfalls, this moving drama about two friends nearing adulthood offers a modern ideal of masculinity

Unlike many queer coming-of-age films – which can lapse into sentimental self-flagellation – Argentinian director Mariano Biasin’s light-touch drama handles the thorny process of coming out in refreshing fashion. Friends since childhood, Manu (Martín Miller) and Felipe (Teo Inama Chiabrando) are inseparable during their teenage years. When not playing together in a band, the pair hang out at the beach or simply lounge about in their rooms, talking about everything and nothing.

Though each has a girlfriend, their attitudes to dating are completely different. While Felipe has a van fitted out just for the purpose of hanky-panky, Manu’s first sexual experience leaves him with more questions than answers. Awakened to his desire for Felipe, Manu slips in and out of sexy daydreams as the struggle to hide his true feelings grows increasingly difficult.

Continue reading...

from Film | The Guardian https://ift.tt/tRhwxfa
via IFTTT

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Miracle Club review – Maggie Smith can’t save this rocky road trip to Lourdes

‘I lost a friend of almost 40 years’: Nancy Meyers pays tribute to Diane Keaton

Malaika Arora scolds 16-year-old dancer for inappropriate gestures: “He is winking, giving flying kisses”